Originally, Focus Features had no issues with Kate Winslet.
Similar to Leonardo, the film company still believed in the lingering market effect of Titanic. Even though that effect had mostly faded, their names were still familiar and beloved by the general public, which could still be a significant factor in attracting audiences to the theaters.
Then, awards season began.
With the conclusion of the Golden Globes, Nicole Kidman's buzz for Best Actress grew louder, and she quickly became the frontrunner for this year's Best Actress Oscar.
Last year, Nicole was already a strong contender for Best Actress with Moulin Rouge!, but in a shocking upset, she lost to Halle Berry at the Oscars, marking Berry as the first Black woman to win the Best Actress award. While Hollywood celebrated Berry's historic win, many sympathized with Nicole.
Now, Nicole was making a comeback, leading the awards season's Best Actress race for the second consecutive year. Due to her close loss last year, she garnered even more support, and her momentum was rapidly increasing.
At the moment, the Oscar nominations hadn't been announced yet, but Nicole was clearly way ahead of the competition. This sparked a different idea within Focus Features—
What if Nicole Kidman were the lead actress?
If Nicole were to win the Best Actress Oscar at the upcoming ceremony, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind would be her first project after claiming the Oscar, and that would serve as the best free publicity.
Moreover, and very importantly, whether the male lead was Jim Carrey or Anson, the Academy might resist or even reject the idea. In fact, the only person on the team with a potential shot at awards attention would be Charlie Kaufman. Without more star power, it would be difficult for the studio's public relations team to gain traction during awards season.
It was clear that Kate Winslet wouldn't be able to help shift this situation, and she might even exacerbate the Academy's bias, resulting in more obstacles during awards season—something the studio absolutely didn't want.
However, bringing in a newly crowned Best Actress could easily resolve these difficulties.
Suddenly, everything took a turn.
Not only could Jim Carrey no longer be the male lead, but Kate Winslet couldn't be the female lead either. Michel's envisioned cast was completely overturned, and even though he threatened to leave the project, Focus Features knew they had the upper hand.
Focus knew Michel had invested immense time and effort into the project—over seven years. Now, it wasn't about Focus trying to take the project away from Michel, but rather Michel threatening to leave, which gave the company no reason to back down.
One key point was that Charlie Kaufman hadn't threatened to leave the project.
As a result, a complex and delicate stalemate had formed.
The most absurd yet fascinating part was that not a single actor had been officially confirmed for the film—no one had signed any contracts—yet internal disputes at the studio had brought the project to a halt.
And then?
Michel turned to Charlie.
Charlie's solution was—
Anson.
The situation was complicated, mainly because of Charlie and Michel's scattered narrative, and Anson had to piece everything together from fragmented clues.
Anson's first thought was, "Who's the producer? Are they clear about the direction of this project?"
Charlie was confused. "What do you mean?"
Anson shrugged lightly. "As far as I know, when they were considering me for the role, their main focus was the market. Hey, I don't have two Oscars under my belt."
"But now, they're thinking about Nicole, and the focus is shifting toward awards."
"Of course, I get it. If a project can achieve both box office success and critical acclaim, that's perfect. But we're not preparing to make a second Titanic, right? So, we need to stay calm and clear-headed and set clear goals."
"One moment they're leaning toward choosing this actor for box office appeal, the next they're leaning toward another for awards consideration. Do you know what will happen?"
"A disaster."
Lighthearted, playful, humorous, with a hint of sarcasm, Anson's tone was casual. Despite the serious conversation, the mood lightened instantly.
Michel couldn't help but glance at Anson, his gaze changing slightly, though not for long. "That's easy to say in theory; reality is much more complicated. Do you think you're the only smart person in Hollywood?"
Clearly, Michel still hadn't let go of his reservations.
In Michel's mind, Jim Carrey was still the best choice. However, there were two issues.
First, they couldn't afford Carrey's $8 million salary.
Second, Jim Carrey supported the idea of Nicole Kidman as the lead. If it increased the film's chances during awards season, he wouldn't say no.
Michel felt stuck.
So, when Charlie suggested they meet with Anson, Michel couldn't refuse, but he also couldn't fully accept it, leaving him feeling awkward.
Yet, time was running out—
Once the Oscar nominations were announced, regardless of Nicole's thoughts, Focus Features would likely rush to approach her.
Imagine if Nicole agreed?
Focus Features wouldn't be able to refuse her, and neither could Charlie or Michel. That would be the real dilemma.
They had to find Anson, and quickly.
After a six-hour flight across North America, without even taking a sip of water, they knocked on Anson's apartment door.
Michel knew he was conflicted but couldn't help himself.
Faced with Michel's jabs, Anson laughed. "Ha, thanks for the compliment. There are plenty of smart people in Hollywood. I don't think I'm one of them. Otherwise, things would have gone smoothly and followed my wishes, don't you think, director?"
Charlie: Haha.
Michel was taken aback, unsure how to respond, so he simply glared at Charlie.
Anson continued, "All I have is theory, and even then, it's pretty shaky. But I do know that failing to prioritize is a fatal mistake in any industry or project. If you try to have everything, you might end up with nothing."
"Box office? Of course."
"Awards? I'd welcome that."
"But the foundation of all this is what?"
Anson looked at Charlie.
Charlie, still lost in his amusement over Michel's reaction, hadn't caught on yet.
Anson sighed slightly.
"The project. We need to focus on the project itself."
"Charlie, your script is wild and quirky, with ideas that most people struggle to understand. That's why your work rarely gets market approval, and you don't aim to please the Academy either."
Charlie finally caught on. "You can be even more honest; I know my box office numbers."
Anson smiled. "But that's exactly what makes you special, at least from my perspective."
"You don't pander to anyone. Whether it's the ticket-buying audience or the Oscar-voting members, you don't start your creative process with them in mind."
"That's why your scripts are so unique."
"So, when we choose the cast, we should put aside box office and awards concerns for now and focus entirely on the script and the characters."